Monday, December 8, 2014

This weekend, I had the privilege of spending some time with some beautiful women as we participated in a demonstration of handwork at a local art gallery. In sharing our lives, we naturally shared Facebook pages, Instagram streams, and blog addresses. There's nothing quite like realizing you just asked a new friend to peek into your life...and you are two months behind. Oh well, life is busy here. Lots of travel, learning, making, living. I would love to be one of those mothers who do it all AND blog about it all. I try. Sometimes, though, I am just too busy living it to reflect upon it. So, here is a record of the last two months...for posterity and anyone interested.

October and November 2014

Before the first frost, I finally remembered to bring in our herbs for drying. Of course, when I bagged them up, I some how got mint in every bag with the basil and oregano. Oh well. Live and learn!

Todd spent half of October in SE Asia, recruiting students for IUK

So, I packed up the kids and headed south.

After a 13 hr trip in countless traffic stops...

We arrived at my parents' home, in Tennessee, to a late night, belated birthday celebration for Reeves.

While there, we visited the Western North Caroluna Farmers Market in Asheville.

The Scuppernongs were so ripe, the air was thick with their sweet scent and bees swarmed everywhere, drunk from the sugar.

My grandmother, Mama Jean, loves playing with the kids.

I had the biggest Bloody Mary in history,

We attended a fiber festival.

This is Brice...sleeping...something he did very little of during our trip.

As usual, Brice had instructions for us to build something. Mom and I put together this spiffy Godzilla costume.

We met my sister, Julie, and sweet Anna at an apple orchard in Flat Rock, NC

I just love fall in the Blue Ridge Mtns!!

I tried to get a Christmas card worthy picture of the kids, but this happened.

After two weeks, we rushed back to Indiana to make a home cooked meal for our traveling daddy...

...who crashed for a couple of days after all that time in Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, and China. I don't blame him!

We celebrated El Dia De Los Muertos...

...and Halloween.

Reeves was some character from You Tube. I think he looks like the guy on the Pringles can, or Mr. Peanut.

Brice enjoyed his light up Godzilla costume.

Reeves finally saved enough money to buy a new gaming computer. Now we will never see him!

Of course, now I have leverage to get chores done!

We made hardtack for a social studies lesson.

I worked like crazy to get some Christmas gifts made...

...and dreamed of some new projects for next year.

I slipped away for a day in Indy by myself...with Georgia.

We spent Thanksgiving Day around the table with friends from Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

For the first time in several years, we put up a full size, live tree. We usually wait until we get to our cabin in North Carolina a few days before Christmas, but this year Embree requested a big tree. I love the stories we share when we talk about the ornaments. Everyone seems to find their way to the tree when the ornaments appear. I love that tradition and I am so happy it happened this year.

December now, and holidays are in

full swing. Lots to share as we make and wrap and travel. See you soon!

About Me

tiny arms around your neck, building with legos, rescuing homeless cats, quiet mornings in a rocker on the front porch with your love. All the rest keeps us connected to the "real world" but...SHHHHH...this is the real world for us.
We are a homeschooling family who spends the school year in Midwest and the summers in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina...as much of that outside as possible!